Stacking and transmission device for packages



United States Patent [72] Inventor Jan Helms Sterling, Massachusetts [21] AppLNo. 786,308 [22] Filed Dec.23,1968 [45] Patented Nov. 24, 1970 [73] Assignee Dino DiCarlo Newton Highlands, Massachusetts [54] STACKING AND TRANSMISSION DEVICE FOR PACKAGES 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 214/6, 214/6.5 [51] Int.Cl. ..B65g57/04, B65g 57/081 [50] FieldofSearch 214/611, 6FS,61(,6.5,6M,6.1,6G,6P;53/163 {56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,506,661 5/1950 Busse 53/163X 2,509,467 5/1950 Anderson.. 2l4/6(M)UX 2,765,599 10/1956 Johnson 214/6(1-1)UX 2,846,832 8/1958 Larsenetal. 214/6(F)X Primary ExaminerGera1d M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Robert J. Spar Attorney-Charles R, Fay

ABSTRACT: Stacking device comprising a rotary head, a series of vertical package receiving chutes arranged in mutually spaced relation at the periphery thereof, a package stacking means at a fixed station, a vertically movable package support projectible up through a chute at the package stacking station, and step-by-step descending in timed relation to the stacking of the individual packages in the chute, in combination with means indexing the rotary head when the required number of packages have been stacked and the package support has been retracted therefrom, all under control of a commercial counter mechanism controlling the operation of the stacking and the indexing in timed relation.

Patented Nov. 24, 1970 3,542,214

Sheet 1 0:4

Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Sheet Patented Nov. 24, 1970 3,542,214

Sheet 4 014 STACKING AND TRANSMISSION DEVICE FOR PACKAGES BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION I Reference is made to my copending application Ser. No. 636,484 filed May 5, 1967, now US. Pat. No. 3,456,423,, disclosing a mechanism for stacking filled packages in alternate relationship with respect to chutes mounted on the periphery of an indexing head. Although the stacking mechanism operates perfectly in the construction exemplified by the aforesaid application for United States Letters Patent, the removal of the packages in stacks from the chutes for boxing has been considerably improved by the automatic indexing and package supporting means for the chutes as will be made more clear hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a rotary indexing head having a series of chutes arranged vertically at the edge thereof in spaced relation, the chutes beingopen both at the top and bottom thereof and having a certain predetermined stacking position where the filled packages are received from the filling machine. At the stacking station, a package support enters the chute from the bottom and extends substantially to the top thereof in position to receive the first package, and means is provided for step-by-step lowering of said support as each package is applied thereto to the required number as predetermined by counting mechanism controlling the same.

Each chute is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed but spaced shelves between which the package support rises and descends, the shelves supporting the packages in a stack in the respective chute after the package support retracts fully downwardly from the chute so as to allow the rotary head to index, bringing the next empty chute into position for the package support to rise therein and repeat the operation.

At the same time, a rotary table indexing mechanism is operated in timed relationship with respect to the stacking operation, so that the rotary head is indexed each time a chute is filled with packages. For example, a dozen packages may be set in the chute on the descending package support, and when the latter is retracted from the chute, the rotary head is indexed. The time interval required for the indexing motion is at least as short as the time required between operations of the package stacking means, so that the latter and the packaging machine operate at the same rate of speed at all times. At the same time this provides for easy removal of the stack of packages from the chute at an u'nloading station where the operator applies a box to the chute and removes the box and all the packages together, so that all that is then necessary to do is to close the box and place the same in position for further packaging as in cartons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1' is a view in side elevation illustrating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a view on a larger scale in elevation illustrating the operation of the package support with respect to a single chute;

FIG. 4 is a detail view partly in section illustrating the retracting means for the package support shown in FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating the table indexing mechanism.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. I there is shown a rotary indexing table mounting at its periphery a series of spaced upright chutes 12, 12, each ofwhich is open ended at top and bottom and has a or shelves 22, 22 for the support of the packages in stacks thereon as-will be later more fully herein described, but it will be seen that each chute is open at the top for the reception of packages.

At the package stacking station which is indicated at A, a mechanism which is more fully disclosed in my above identified application for patent, applies packages which are indicated at P in FIG. 1 to the chute, this mechanism operating in a time controlled relationship to stack packages one at a time. This mechanism includes means 30 for supporting packages P as they are moved, filled, and sealed one at a time.

These packages P are. abstracted from a line of advance by a vacuum head or the like 32 picking up the individual packages by suction as shown in solid lines, and releasing the same in the position shown with the parts in dotted lines in FIG. I; The vacuum head 32 is moved between the solid line position of FIG. 1 to the dotted line position by means of the series of linkages indicated at 34 operated as disclosed in my above identified application by means of a cam or the like 36 operating the rod 38, link 40, etc. in order to bring the head from the solid line position of FIG. I where it picks up the package P from an oncoming line to the dotted line position of FIG. I where the package is dropped.

A package support is indicated at 46, this table being mounted on a rod 48 having a vertical motion under influence of a cylinder 50, see also FIG. 3, this cylinder moving its piston rod 52 upwardly to approximately the position shown in FIG. 1 where the package support 46 is near its most highly elevated position. This motion is from the dotted line position of the table 46, FIG. 3, to the solid line position thereof to receive the first package from a batch and gradually-stepbystep the table 46 retracts downwardly to the dotted line position in FIG. 3 to allow the table 10 to index when the chute is full.

The step-by-step downward operation is provided by means of a monkey-bite device incorporating a cockable member 60, see particularly FIG. 4, tending to be held in the position shown by means of a spring 62 against a stop bar or the like 64. The plate 60 has an aperture therethrough which receives the rod 48 and when in the position shown in FIG. 4, moves the same down one step under influence of a cylinder 66, see FIGS. 1 and 3. This cylinder is reciprocated in timed relation to move the rod 48 down one step, and on release of the rod, to move back upwardly again with the plate 60 out of engagement with the rod 48, so that on the upward stroke of the piston 68 of the cylinder 66, no action is taken, but on the counter and the timing sequence is such that the package supback wall as at 14 mounted on a bracket 16, see FIG. 2. The

back walls 14 are provided with side walls 18 having inturned ends 20, 20, also see FIG. 2, forming a compartment for the reception of a vertical stack of horizontal packages. These chutes each are provided with a bottom pair of opposite ledges port 46 is lowered in steps by cylinder 66 while the cylinder 50 is quiescent, but at a certain interval of time, i.e., when the next ensuing chute l2 assumes the position of the already filled chute shown in FIG. I, the timer causes actuation of the proper electric valve, i.e., 78 in FIG. 3, to cause cylinder 50 to move the piston 52 to raise package support 46 in one motion from its lowermost to its topmost position. Now referring to FIG. 5 there is another cylinder (air motor) 80 also under influence of a four-way valve 82 again under control of the counter-timer 74, and this cylinder causes actuation of a ratchet gear 84 by means of a trip clamp or the like 86 operat ing on a rod 88 to cause a dog or dogs 90 to index and hold the ratchet gear the amount desired to bring the next chute into operative position. It is pointed out that the mechanism shown in FIG. 5 is commercially available. The ratchet gear is attached to the central shaft for the table 10, see 92, FIG. 5, and

the four-way valve is connected with respect to the counter 74 in FIG. 2 so as to properly index the table at the required point.

in the operation of the device with an empty chute at station A, FIG. 2, the package support 46 extends to its upwardmost position; the packages are applied thereto, preferably, in the alternate relationship explained. in my patent application identified above, until a certain predetermined number are mounted on support 46, the latter having been lowered stepby-step as explained above to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3 where the chute is clear thereof, at which time the cylinder or air motor 80 is actuated to index the table as for instance from the position indicated at A in FIG. 2 to the position shown at B.

The operation of the mechanism including the cam 36, lever 34 and head 32, etc.,'is operated in equal steps at equal intervals, so that the counter is set to operate to control the operation of all of the parts without any interruption to the filling operation. Appropriate valves are actuated at appropriate intervals for all the cylinders to carry this relation out.

When the filled chute gets around to the proper station, see FIG. 2, an inverted box is placed over the chute with the open side of the box down. The operator then places a finger under the chute and lifts the box and the stacked packages upwardly, inverts the same and closes the box. This completes the packaging operation except for the fact that the boxes may be later placed in cartons.

lclaim:

l. A stacking device for packages comprising a rotary head, means to index the head in step-by-step relationship past a loading station, a series of chutes mounted on said rotary head at spaced intervals thereon, each chute being upright, each chute being open at the top and the bottom,

a package support, means for moving said package support up through the bottom of a predetermined chute at the loading station to a topmost position therein, means to supply a series of packages to said package support one at a time, means for lowering said package support step-by-step in approximately the degree of the thickness of the packages, said lastnamed means eventually removing said package support completely through the lower open end of said chute,

means on said chutes supporting said packages when said package support has been removed, said package support moving means being operated in timed relation to the head indexing means,

the means for lowering the package support including an angularly movable apertured plate, a rod passing through the aperture, the plate grasping the rod in one angular position and releasing it in another angular position, and means to reciprocate the platemoving it down while grasping the rod and moving it up while free.

. 2. The stacking device of claim l wherein the means indexing the rotary head operates during the time interval when the means for supplying the packages to the chute is moving from the chute to a station where it picks up the next package.

3. The stacking device of claim 1 wherein the means indexing the rotary head operates during the time interval when the means for supplying the packages to the chute is moving from the chute to a station where it picks up the next package, the package support remaining down out of interference with the head during the same interval.

4. The stacking device of claim 1 wherein the means moving the package support include air motors and a counter, said counter being constructed and arranged to control the operation of the air motors.

5. The stacking device of claim 1 wherein the means to move the package support upwards operates but once during a rotary head index cycle step.

6. The stacking device of claim 1 wherein the means to move the package support upwards operates but once during a rotary head index cycle step and moves the package support one vertical step, from the lowermost point thereof to its top most position. 

